Sinker release



y 1958 B. B.- PHILLIPS 2,844,906

SINKER RELEASE Filed Oct. 17, 1955 IN VEN TOR. 54w: 6. J/za BY 77%; 72M

lrrvelvirs leased the sinker,

disadvantages .to .such their failure to device will be lease mechanisms and devices :a'bove United States Patent 2,844,906 Patented July 29, 1958 2,844,906. SlNKER RELEASE Bnlce B. Phillips, San Pablo, Calif. Application October 17, 1955, Serial No. 549,788 4 Claims. (Cl. 43-4312) This invention relates to devices.

When trolling for game fish it is desired that a sinker be employed of 'suflicient weight to permit the lure or bait to be submerged to a predetermined depth, and that the arrangement securing the sinker with the line include suitable mechanism for release ofthe sinker when a fish is hooked. In this way the fisherman is enabled to obtain maximum enjoymentfrom the play of a fish through the use of his carefully selected combination of rod, reel and line, which is not the case where there is added to the weight and strength of a hooked fish the deadweight of a non-detachable sinker.

For providing such arrangement, difierentsinker release mechanisms have been devised and constructed, as for example of the type illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 1,033,464 wherein movable sections, which receive and support the loop of the releasable member, when fishing line sinker release caused to separate against frictional restraining means,

effect a release of the sinker; or in the more recent 'U. S. Patent No. 2,562,054, wherein a spring pressed pin is mounted in acasing, extending throughthe loop or eye of the sinker, and is reciprocable against the urge of the spring to eiiect a release of the sinker.

However, for various reasons such prior release mechanisms have not gained the popularity to which they would seem to be entitled. As afisherrnan, it is my belief that principal among such reasons is the fact that ,most of the prior mechanisms are-so designed that: .(1) they are responsive to asudden pull both on the line leading the release mechanism and on the line following the mechanism, wherefore when the .fisherman accidentallyor otherwise inadvertently causes :a sudden pull on the line following the mechanism, there is an unwanted release of the sinker; .and/ or (2) the mechanism, after having reremains itself in fixed position, and is length .of the line. Other prior devices also contributing to .gain in acceptance and popularity are: That they are not uniformly reliable in efiecting loss or drop ;of the sinker at the critical-moment following the strike, orhooking o-f'the fish. Thatthey have been expensive to manufacture because of the intricacyof the apparatus employed. And, where they are used in salt water, Ithat they are extremely short lived due to the moving parts utilized therein and the corrosive action of the water on the materials used in such parts.

"ltisthe object of my'invention to provide a'novel and improved sinker 'rele'asedevice (and arrangement there- 'ofwith the'li-ne) "which permits the detachment of the when a fis'h is caught, which fishing line tree of :the defects of the prior sinker redescribed, yet which 'isinexpensiverinmanufacture, effective in operation and practicaliniuse. 'm

sinker *from a I eye 28 at its upper -As a particular object, the invention-contemplatesthe provision of an improved sinker release adapted to be selectively secured on the line and to support the sinker as the said sinker,line and'release are moved through the water in trolling, characterized by the device being responsive only to a sudden pull on the line .following the release, to release the sinker.

As a further particular object, the invention contemplates the provision of an improved sinker 'release of the above type wherein the device is further characterized by its being adapted, after release ofthe sinker, for-free sliding movement on the line. i

The above as well as other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention in accordance with its preferred embodiments, the subjoined detailed description, and the appended claims.

in the drawing:

Figure l is a sectional view in side elevation showing my sinker release in position on the line, with'the sinker supported thereby;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through the-device and hail of the sinker, taken along line 2-2 --of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device according to Figure 1, showing the pin moved, responsive to a sudden pull on the line following'the device, to releasing position;

Figure 4 is a View similarito Figure 1 but showing a modified form of my sinker release;

Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views through the body member only of the release shown in Figure 4, taken alonglines 5-5 and 6'6, respectively; and

Figure 7 is a side elevation of-the device according to Figure 4, showing the pin moved to releasing, 'freesliding position on the line.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and-first to Figures 1 through 3 in particular:

The sinker release-is comprised of an elongated body member generally indicated by the numeral 10 and a separate memberor pinlZ, and both such members are adaptedto beslidably carried on the fishing line-13.

The body member may as shown be formedof three tubular sections, providing-an upper elongated tubular section 14 having flared end portions .16 hand through which extends the fishing line .13, and spaced lower tubular sections 18, 20, in axial alignment and soldered, brazed or otherwise secured in fixed positions to ithe upper section 14, and adapted to receiveand support the pin 12.

The pin 12 may as shown-be of the cotter-pin type whose prongs or'shank portion 22, when-inserted in1position in the bores of the lower tubular sections 18, 20, with its eye Madjacent the forward opening-"of the bore of the upper tubular section 14 (see Figure vl), are long enough to extend sufficiently into the bore of tubular seztion 2%, thereby afiordinga firm support for the sinker 2 The sinker 26 is of conventional construction, formed by cast metal, stone or other heavy material, with an end for engagement with the ;pin 12. In the case of sinkers of comparatively light weight, i. e. of from 2 to 16 ounces, it is preferred for .reasons hereinafter described that they be provided with relatively fiat forward and rearward faces, indicated at 30, as a means of providing increased drag or'resis'tance to movement of the sinker through the water.

In assembling a sinker and my sinker release for use in trolling, a sinker 26 ofproper weight is selected, according'to the depth to which the :bait ior ilure is to be 2,844,906 a submerged during trolling, and the pin 12 and body memvariations and modifications as fall i h scope of her slid along the line 13 to provide the desired length the appended claims. of line leading the lure or bait used, necessary to the What I claim is: obtaining of a natural swimming action from such lure 1. For use in trolling: a sinker m i cluding a purposes of this description, Figure 3). The eye 28 of back around the shank portion of the p; and the pin the sinker is next positioned in the space between the then engaged in the pin engaging meat of the body two tubular sections 18, 20, and the shank 22 of the member said pin will be adapted to 5 pin inserted in the two sections 18, 20, to pass through and to fix the position of the pin, bodymember and the eye 28 of the sinker, securing the sinker as shown 15 supported sinker, respectively, along the sngth of the in Figure 1. line as the same are moved through the Walt! in trolling,

With the sinker thus disposed and with the release used said pin being responsive to a sudden pull on the line its P y P p in fishing, y, in trolling, following the release to release the pin from the pm enthe line following the release will as shown be substangaging means for the body member to drop free the sinker,

'tially horizontal while the line leading the release will and whereafter said body member and pit are each be inclined to the surface; such that the body member freely slidable on the line.

10 with sinker 26 Will, due to the weight of the sinker 2. For use in trolling: a sinker release comprising a 26, the pin being fixed in its line position, be thus carried body member having an upper bore and a lower pin in fixed Position 011 the line- When however, a fish r engaging means in approximate parallel alignment with strikes" the sudden pull on the line following the reaid bore, aid body member being carried on a fishlease will cause the pin 12 to move forward with the ing line which extends through said bore, and a pin havn t0 the left as Shown in Figure pposing this, ing a straight shank portion and a line engaging eye at the inertia and drag resistance of the sinker 26 will cause one d lidable o the fishing line following the body drawn forward through the upper tubular section 14, the straight shank portion inserted in said pin engaging the P 12 Withdrawn from the lower tubular Sections means to support a sinker and to fix the position of the 20, and y 28 0f the Sinker, releasing the Sinker. release along the length of the line as the release and line, and the pin 12 and body member 10 Will theregaging means of the body member and to permit the after slide on the line, leaving the line unhampered so sinker to drop free from the pin and release, and wherethet the fisherman may j y the full P y of the fish after said body member and pin are each freely slldable From the arrangement above described it Wlll be seen n the line,

that should there be a sudden pull on the line leading 3 For use In trolling a sinker release comprlslng a n Figure the line, release and Sinker Will og er gaging means in approximate parallel alignment with said move responsive to the P Without a release of h bore, said body member being slidably carried on a fishsinker. 5 ing line which extends through said bore, and a pin hav- In Figures 4 through 7 I have illustrated a modified ing a straight shank portion and a line engaging eye at form of my sinker release, of a quick acting type, which one end slidable on the fishing line following the body has a cast body member 10 differing in construction from member, said pin being adapted when the line following that of Figure l in that the lower tubular section 18 is the eye of the pin is wrapped back around the pin and provided with a longitudinal slot 32, and in that its lower the straight shank portion inserted in said pin engaging is of relatively short length. With such arrangement, a sinker and to fix the position of the release along the when the pin 12 is caused to be moved forward with length of the line as the release and supported sinker the line, responsive to a sudden pull, as soon as the end are moved through the water in trolling, said pin, responof the pin clears the tubular section 20, the pin is caused slve to a sudden pull on the line following the release, to be swung downward due to the weight of the supported being adapted to move with the line without imparting sinker, releasing the sinker (as the pin is swung down additional movement to the body member through which and/or simultaneously moved further forward responsive the line slides, to release the pin from the p n g g g to the initial sudden pull), whereafter the pin is permeans of the body member and to permit the sinker to mitted to twist around on the 11116 (as indicated by the drop free from the pin and rel arrow in Figure 7), unwinding itself, and releasing th 4. For use in trolling: a sinker release comprising a P and y member, for i ing movement in body member having an upper longitudinal bore and a either direction 011 the linelower pin engaging means including a pin receiving bore From the foregoing description, taken in connection in approximate parallel alignment with said body memwith the drawing, it is thought that the construction, oper- N ber bore, said body member being slidably carried on a ation and many advantages of my sinker release will be fishing line which extends through said upper longitudinal readily understood without requiring a more detailed exbore, and a pin having a straight shank portion and a planation Moreover, while the invention has been liiLlS- line engaging eye at one end slidable on the fishing line trated and described according to two preferred embodim following the body member, said pm being adapted when ments thereof the sinker release is as Will be apparent the line following the eye of the pm is wrapped back capable of variation and modlfication without departing around the pm and the straight shank portion lnserted In from the spirit of the invention It 15 therefore underthe pin receiving bore to support a sinker on said pin stood that the invention 18 not to be limited to the specific and to fix the pOSltlOn of the release along the length of through the water in trolling, said pin and body member with the supported release being adapted, responsive to a sudden pull on the line following the release, to permit movement of said pin with the line while the line is drawn through the body member, to withdraw said pin from the pin receiving bore and to permit the sinker to drop free from the pin and release.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Miller Feb. 3, 1942 Miller June 22, 1943 Hinkson Aug. 26, 1952 Baum Feb. 21, 1956 

